This invention relates to postage meters, and more particularly, to postage meters incorporating electronic computation circuitry for accounting for postage markings, and further incorporating a mechanical coupling to a printing head for correction of the electronic accounting.
A postage meter incorporating an electronic accounting circuit is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,507 which issued on Nov. 17, 1981 in the name of Soderberg et al and is assigned to the Pitney-Bowes Corporation. A mechanical drive for the print head of the foregoing postage meter, incorporating electronic sensors thereon for the sensing of the printing drum position, is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,015 which issued in the name of McFiggans et al on Feb. 24, 1981 and is assigned to the Pitney-Bowes Corporation. A further mechanical drive for the print head is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,825 which issued on Sept. 8, 1981 in the name of Alton B. Eckert et al and is assigned to the Pitney-Bowes Corporation. The three foregoing patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,301,507, 4,287,825 and 4,253,015, are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
In the electronic control of the printing of postage, a microprocessor is advantageously employed in the accounting circuitry. The circuitry may be adapted for recording the number of pieces of mail or parcels which have received pre-designated amounts of postage as well as the sub-total of all postage administered. It is most advantageous for business purposes that such accounting be accomplished with complete accuracy so that all postage is accounted for.
One problem that may arise with respect to the maintenance of the accuracy is associated with a momentary loss of power at the time of the imprinting of the postage on a mailpiece. At the times that this occurs, a question arises as to whether or not the postage was actually imprinted. This problem is overcome in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,015. The mechanical motion of the printing drum during the printing operation is observed subsequent to the power outage by the sensors affixed to the aforementioned mechanical part. This, in turn, enables the accounting to be corrected to reflect any printing of postage that may have occurred during the momentary power outage.
It is, however, desirable to further increase the reliability of the accounting of the postage, for instance, to cover the situation wherein a person may have attempted to tamper with the meter. In addition to tampering, it must also be recognized that a problem might result from the momentary breakdown in equipment which could adversely affect the accounting of the postage.